Rooting for the AAC

[housekeys]

so keep rooting for smu and east carolina....that will surely get uconn into the big 10. its like that jock in high school who would get all the girls back then, but never left town and settled on a chick no one would think twice of. the longer uconn and its fanbase supports the aac, the more likely we become that jock who used to be on the same level as syracuse or duke or unc, but now is happy to lose in a well played game.

Ultimately it is about UConn. But it certainly helps if SMU can beat TTech, TCU and TA&M and ECU beats VTech (all on 2013 schedule). I mean UConn has to win against its schedule, but it is all about perception. While we all discount the "associativity" nature of sports, it plays a big role in perception - IMO.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Strength of schedule doesn't mean a damn thing unless you're trying to get into the college football playoffs. As long as our strength of schedule is better than the mountain west and the AAC gets the at large "BCS" bid that's all that matters.

For hoops, if we beat big names out of conference and clean house in the AAC again, we'll be fine.

 

[whaler11]

I want the AAC teams to be decent because I have to watch them. It won't impact UConn getting anywhere, but I imagine few here have actually watched Tulane or Memphis play football lately.... it's impossible to relate how bad they are.

 

[UConnJim]

I want the AAC teams to be decent because I have to watch them. It won't impact UConn getting anywhere, but I imagine few here have actually watched Tulane or Memphis play football lately.... it's impossible to relate how bad they are.

Well, then UConn should be able to have better records in football! In my opinion, winning is most important for UConn right now. Win and fans will come and so will recruits.

One thing to think about. In every conference there are going to be 2 to 4 bad football programs every year and you don't want to become a permanent cellar dweller as that will feed upon itself. Look at BC. They are in the cellar in the ACC and will struggle over the next few years to get out. They need to get out of the cellar soon or risk being in the cellar a long time. Kids want to play for winners and fans want to see winners.

 

[djct1999]

You can root for it, but it ain't gonna happen unless UConn continues reeling in recruits, and that will stop to happen soon if the rest of the conference sux.

In your opinion, what happens first.........UConn is asked to join a better conference or the AAC strengthens? In theory, you are absolutely right. But that isn't todays reality. UConn has a small 3-5 year window to get out. While that exists, they will still be able to recruit because of tv exposure and an upgrade in facilities. If that window closes, UConn's athletic department will start to resemble UMass and at that point recruits won't come. Until then, the crappiness of the AAC should be off set by other factors.

 

[djct1999]

Yes. That's the point.

So I guess I'll stop now...

Have you been listening to what matters most in conference realignment? UConn was heavily criticized for sending only 6000 fans to the Fiesta Bowl. Did their strength of schedule that year do anything to help them in realignment. The answer, unless you are to dense, is NO. I doubt very much Delaney and the Big 10 presidents place much weight on schedule. Atleast for UConn, its not their schedule even with AAC opponents, that will eventually get them in or leave them out.

 

[upstater]

In your opinion, what happens first.........UConn is asked to join a better conference or the AAC strengthens? In theory, you are absolutely right. But that isn't todays reality. UConn has a small 3-5 year window to get out. While that exists, they will still be able to recruit because of tv exposure and an upgrade in facilities. If that window closes, UConn's athletic department will start to resemble UMass and at that point recruits won't come. Until then, the crappiness of the AAC should be off set by other factors.

The AAC strengthening has to be immediate. 3-5 years is very optimistic at this point.

 

[djct1999]

The AAC strengthening has to be immediate. 3-5 years is very optimistic at this point.

Lol. The AAC strengthening immediately is simply not going to happen. In fact, it wont happen in that 3-5 year window and if the next tv deal isn't significantly better, it will never happen. So this board has come full circle. We are now stating the AAC has to be good immediately, when months ago it was suggested that UConn would be better off joining the Catholic 7 in olympic sports and going independent in football. The boneyard exploded then. Again, if UConn's ultimate fate is determined by the strength of the AAC and not the merits of UConn itself, it simply should never have joined. The AAC has been a sinking ship since its inception and nothing in the near term will help right its course, especially not immediately. Better yet, I am to now believe that the amazing development, growth, and national success of the UConn athletic department of the past 25 years means less then the current strength of East Carolina, Tulane and Tulsa. I get there is not much to talk about, but lets atleast be consistent.

 

[upstater]

Lol. The AAC strengthening immediately is simply not going to happen. In fact, it wont happen in that 3-5 year window and if the next tv deal isn't significantly better, it will never happen. So this board has come full circle. We are now stating the AAC has to be good immediately, when months ago it was suggested that UConn would be better off joining the Catholic 7 in olympic sports and going independent in football. The boneyard exploded then. Again, if UConn's ultimate fate is determined by the strength of the AAC and not the merits of UConn itself, it simply should never have joined. The AAC has been a sinking ship since its inception and nothing in the near term will help right its course, especially not immediately. Better yet, I am to now believe that the amazing development, growth, and national success of the UConn athletic department of the past 25 years means less then the current strength of East Carolina, Tulane and Tulsa. I get there is not much to talk about, but lets atleast be consistent.

Going indie in football is impossible. Might as well say UConn has to be first to Mars. Why are we even discussing this? It's insane.

Be consistent by agreeing with totally crazy positions? Really?

Memphis has a lot of good players, East Carolina is bringing everyone back from a team that won the CBI postseason tourney, Houston and SMU have landed McD. type players the last few years, they better improve. Cincy should be decent. So, yes, in bball, the ramping up needs to be immediate.

 

[uconNYC]

It made me sick to root for Rutgers and Syracuse when they were in the Big East. Now that they are finally gone, I am not going to drive myself nuts rooting for the likes of SMU, UH, Memphis, Tulane, etc.

Besides, Utah, TCU and Boise State dominated pretty weak football leagues and two of them got themselves into Big 5 conferences (BSU got themselves into what was then a decent Big East). I really don't feel the strength of the conference really matters. UConn just needs to dominate.

Our BBall programs seem to be in good shape. Football needs to step it up.

 

[UConnDan97]

Have you been listening to what matters most in conference realignment? UConn was heavily criticized for sending only 6000 fans to the Fiesta Bowl. Did their strength of schedule that year do anything to help them in realignment. The answer, unless you are to dense, is NO. I doubt very much Delaney and the Big 10 presidents place much weight on schedule. Atleast for UConn, its not their schedule even with AAC opponents, that will eventually get them in or leave them out.

Yes, I've paid attention to what matters most in realignment, but I'm not sure you have. Can you explain to us all why Louisville was chosen for the ACC instead of UConn?

The question was rhetorical, because I'm about to answer it for you. It was because Louisville's football team was perceived to be stronger. They were a Top25 ranked team. Do you know how teams become ranked?

Again, rhetorical. You become ranked when you have good records against good teams. If you are Northern Illinois and you are playing against the MAC, then you have to literally go 11-1, whereas if you are playing against Big East competition, you can have 3 losses. If you are playing against SEC competition, you can have 5 losses.

That's how it works. You are measured by your competition, in large part. Although I hate the concept, the polls factor in "good losses." Now that I've spent a little time to explain this to you, I'll go back to my regular day and prepare for UConn to kick some Sooner in baseball later today...

 

[djct1999]

Going indie in football is impossible. Might as well say UConn has to be first to Mars. Why are we even discussing this? It's insane.

Be consistent by agreeing with totally crazy positions? Really?

Memphis has a lot of good players, East Carolina is bringing everyone back from a team that won the CBI postseason tourney, Houston and SMU have landed McD. type players the last few years, they better improve. Cincy should be decent. So, yes, in bball, the ramping up needs to be immediate.

Actually, its football I am way more concerned with. It has already been proven that with a good staff, good facilities, an NBA pedigree, decent non-conference schedule, tv exposure, AAU contacts, etc. etc, basketball can succeed far longer than football can. Besides, its football the will play a major financial drain on the entire athletic department.

Just ask Rodney Purvis or Daniel Hamilton.

 

[djct1999]

Yes, I've paid attention to what matters most in realignment, but I'm not sure you have. Can you explain to us all why Louisville was chosen for the ACC instead of UConn?

The question was rhetorical, because I'm about to answer it for you. It was because Louisville's football team was perceived to be stronger. They were a Top25 ranked team. Do you know how teams become ranked?

Again, rhetorical. You become ranked when you have good records against good teams. If you are Northern Illinois and you are playing against the MAC, then you have to literally go 11-1, whereas if you are playing against Big East competition, you can have 3 losses. If you are playing against SEC competition, you can have 5 losses.

That's how it works. You are measured by your competition, in large part. Although I hate the concept, the polls factor in "good losses." Now that I've spent a little time to explain this to you, I'll go back to my regular day and prepare for UConn to kick some Sooner in baseball later today...

I am pretty sure Louisville won games and UConn didn't. If UConn went 9-3 last year and beat quality teams they would be perceived as being better as well.....Atleast we can agree on one thing, go UCONN baseball. Great win last night!

 

[upstater]

Actually, its football I am way more concerned with. It has already been proven that with a good staff, good facilities, an NBA pedigree, decent non-conference schedule, tv exposure, AAU contacts, etc. etc, basketball can succeed far longer than football can. Besides, its football the will play a major financial drain on the entire athletic department.

Just ask Rodney Purvis or Daniel Hamilton.

I'm much more concerned with basketball.

UConn has been recruiting at the bottom of the BCS for awhile now, and surviving. There is enough talent out there for a coach to develop. It does need to beat Syracuse for local talent now--so that gets harder. Otherwise, I don't expect much to change. If anything, they may look harder down south. That Lagow kid, for instance, might get to play in Texas a lot. The level of competition is about the same (and if Houston, SMU and Tulsa ramp up, it will be BETTER than the old BE).

Basketball has a competition problem, and that could hurt recruiting.

 

[UConnJim]

Actually, its football I am way more concerned with. It has already been proven that with a good staff, good facilities, an NBA pedigree, decent non-conference schedule, tv exposure, AAU contacts, etc. etc, basketball can succeed far longer than football can. Besides, its football the will play a major financial drain on the entire athletic department.

Just ask Rodney Purvis or Daniel Hamilton.

Football will not be a drain on the athletic department. It's the other sports like field hockey, soccer (although at UConn it's not a non-revenue sport), baseball, softball, swimming, volleyball, track, cross country, golf,.... that are drains on an athletic budget.

 

[UConnDan97]

I am pretty sure Louisville won games and UConn didn't. If UConn went 9-3 last year and beat quality teams they would be perceived as being better as well.....Atleast we can agree on one thing, go UCONN baseball. Great win last night!

We even agree on your 9-3 assessment! Yes, if UConn went 9-3 last year (against Big East competition), we would also have been ranked. That's the point I'm trying to make to you. If we go 9-3 against a bad AAC, with wins against the current Tulane or the current Memphis or the current East Carolina, people aren't going to give a crap and we likely WON'T be ranked! They would rather rank a 7-6 South Carolina team than a 9-3 team from the AAC with a perceived SOS of 120. You feel me now?

Go UConn baseball!

 

[Marty Jackson]

So can UConn. I think this is a selling point that is never talked about. Look what UConn has accomplished in so short of a time, and consider that in light of the fact that they consistently have had the lowest recruiting rankings in the conference over that time. UConn has outperformed what they are supposed to be, and imagine what UConn can be when 1) the administration is behind the sport (look how men's basketball turned out), 2) they are replacing the Big East conference stench with a Big 12 conference veneer (and kids actually want to play in the conference), and 3) they add better academics, presence in NYC, a closer partner for WVU, a market that they alone dominate, and successful brand-name basketball, mediocre regional competition, and growth potential that the other schools cannot match. UCF/USF are never going to become the big 3 (they will never win enough recruiting battles with UF/FSU/Miami/UGA/Bama to grow that much), but UConn has the potential with the right circumstances to grow exponentially, considering there is no dominant power in its region, save possibly for Penn State.

the florida reference was in regard to recruiting...
would be in the big12's interest to have fl recruits see texas and oklahoma play in fl every year.

 

[Marty Jackson]

I'm much more concerned with basketball.

UConn has been recruiting at the bottom of the BCS for awhile now, and surviving. There is enough talent out there for a coach to develop. It does need to beat Syracuse for local talent now--so that gets harder. Otherwise, I don't expect much to change. If anything, they may look harder down south. That Lagow kid, for instance, might get to play in Texas a lot. The level of competition is about the same (and if Houston, SMU and Tulsa ramp up, it will be BETTER than the old BE).

Basketball has a competition problem, and that could hurt recruiting.

not worried at all about BB. The AAC has at least 4 solid BB schools in Temple, cincy, Memphis and uconn. That will create opportunities for at least one or two other schools to step up.
Second, WM has shown that he is willing to step up the OOC schedule to offset the lack of depth in the conference.
Lastly, and most important, BB is settled on the court unlike fb where public opinion, polls, and tradition mean more than results. As long as Uconn makes the tourney, the level of competition won't change.

 

[pj]

You become ranked when you have good records against good teams. If you are Northern Illinois and you are playing against the MAC, then you have to literally go 11-1, whereas if you are playing against Big East competition, you can have 3 losses. If you are playing against SEC competition, you can have 5 losses.

That's how it works. You are measured by your competition, in large part. Although I hate the concept, the polls factor in "good losses."

So it doesn't matter at all how good your competition is, because a team of equal quality will go 11-1 in the MAC, 9-3 in the Big East, or 7-5 in the SEC, and the polls will correctly account for that? So it only matters how good your team is, not how good the competition is?

You are measured against your competition, but SOS counts as a quality adjustment factor, not a factor on which the team is directly judged. You have to prove your good.

The quality of the conference matters when it starts to cease to have opportunities to play the big programs. Then people have no way of judging quality. With quality of schedule mattering more than before, it's important that the AAC be good enough to be on the radar nationally.

 

[UConnDan97]

So it doesn't matter at all how good your competition is, because a team of equal quality will go 11-1 in the MAC, 9-3 in the Big East, or 7-5 in the SEC, and the polls will correctly account for that? So it only matters how good your team is, not how good the competition is?

You are measured against your competition, but SOS counts as a quality adjustment factor, not a factor on which the team is directly judged. You have to prove your good.

The quality of the conference matters when it starts to cease to have opportunities to play the big programs. Then people have no way of judging quality. With quality of schedule mattering more than before, it's important that the AAC be good enough to be on the radar nationally.

You misunderstood my comment. Just because you are in the SEC doesn't guarantee that having 5 losses will still lead to you being ranked. Nor does it guarantee it for the 3 losses in the Big East. The point is that the quality of competition changes (in the eyes of the voters, fortunately or unfortunately) the way that the wins and losses are viewed.

Let me give you another "what if". What if Boise State had played in the Big East rather than the Mountain West / WAC for the last decade and still had the wins/losses that they had? Aren't they playing for at least one national championship during that time? Well, they never played for the national championship, and the reason was strength of schedule as perceived by the voters. West Virginia with a similarly skilled team was an inch away from the National Championship until Pitt beat them 13-9. Since 2002, Boise State has finished undefeated twice and with 1 loss six times. No chance to play for it. Strength of schedule, strength of schedule, strength of schedule...

 

[pj]

You misunderstood my comment. Just because you are in the SEC doesn't guarantee that having 5 losses will still lead to you being ranked. Nor does it guarantee it for the 3 losses in the Big East. The point is that the quality of competition changes (in the eyes of the voters, fortunately or unfortunately) the way that the wins and losses are viewed.

Let me give you another "what if". What if Boise State had played in the Big East rather than the Mountain West / WAC for the last decade and still had the wins/losses that they had? Aren't they playing for at least one national championship during that time? Well, they never played for the national championship, and the reason was strength of schedule as perceived by the voters. West Virginia with a similarly skilled team was an inch away from the National Championship until Pitt beat them 13-9. Since 2002, Boise State has finished undefeated twice and with 1 loss six times. No chance to play for it. Strength of schedule, strength of schedule, strength of schedule...

I agree that the upside is limited, in that there's no way to get to the national championship game from a weak conference. From the AAC, a BCS bowl is the upper limit. But since UConn has only been to that once, I'm not going to worry about being shut out of national championships yet.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm not saying UConn should turn down the B12. I'm arguing the opposite, that the big12 doesn't want to travel to Storrs!!!

On this I agree. But their options are few, and travel now sucks in most leagues. The reality is that sevral 8-10 team leagues are much better for college sports.

 

[huskymedic]

If you're bored...

American_Conf 11:22am via TweetDeck
Commissioner Mike Aresco sat down with WREG-TV in Memphis yesterday. Scroll down to find the four-part interview. http://wreg.com/category/news/

 

[jbdphi]

If you're bored...

American_Conf 11:22am via TweetDeck
Commissioner Mike Aresco sat down with WREG-TV in Memphis yesterday. Scroll down to find the four-part interview. http://wreg.com/category/news/

When asked about the football programs in the AAC, he mentioned UConn among several others:

"You look at UConn, very strong program. They went out and beat Louisville at Louisville last year."

He also mentioned UConn when he said that the AAC would have had five teams in the NCAA's last year saying that UConn would have been in if they had been eligible.

He also mentions the WBB program as you might imagine. I know the conspiracy kitties of the world don't want to hear it, but I don't think Aresco is avoiding talking about UConn because he knows we have one foot out the door.